Latest articles on Life Coaching

The clocks were going back at the weekend, and Bob had decided to use the end of daylight savings as a marker to re-start his fitness regime. Over the past ten months, since his aborted attempt to create a regular gym routine for himself, he’d bemoaned his ever increasing waistline and gradual decline in energy. Bob knew he wanted to be fitter, and this time he was going to do it right. He knew he had to set a goal, so he’d set his sights on the local 10k in February. That gave him...

I, like many, am affected by changes in season particularly at this time of year. Even though I love Autumn, I know that as these dark mornings and evenings draw in I have to try much harder to stay on track and keep motivated. We all know it’s much harder to bounce out of bed on a chilly dark morning than a warm sunny one. Whether you work for yourself like me, have a team to motivate or customers to serve, you probably already know that getting out of bed with a positive mindset is key...

Of the three issues in the title, only one of them is within our control - but I do know that if you eliminate the one we can control, the self-care, then the other two things can have a much worse effect on us. It’s fair to say that self-care is the buzzword of the year, but I’d like to suggest that it is trending for a reason. When we take ownership of our self-care, the things that can bring us down; from stress and all its side effects to family drama and work issues, become...

We all walk but there is walking and there is walking! Here, I share the benefits of walking, how to get the most from it, how much you ought to try to walk and how long the benefits can last. We are all aware that exercise helps us to stay physically fit. It is also now known that it uplifts the mood, if carried out regularly. Some scientists report that this is due to the release of endorphins (chemicals in the brain). Endorphins are natural painkillers and can also trigger feelings of...

When we say that we’re ‘stressed’, it’s usually in one of the following response areas: physical, mental, emotional, behavioural, or a combination of more than one of these. How do these symptoms manifest themselves? Let’s look at some examples of how we’ll typically be affected... Physically – palpitations, excessive sweating, indigestion, skin complaints, headaches, stomach problems, back ache, breathlessness, hot flushes and tiredness. Mentally...

When we look at our lives and how we might want to make changes, it is often very helpful to be systematic about it, and look at specific areas so that we can home in on what needs to change. A really good place to start is with the question, 'How satisfied are you with your physical health?'. This is really fundamental. Of course, if you have a major illness (as I actually did a few years ago!), you've got to deal with it before you can really flourish in your life. As the Romans say,...

You’ll no doubt be aware of the beneficial effects mindfulness meditation can bring, focusing on the breath, letting thoughts go, just being still and present. There’s lots of research demonstrating how breathing in a mindful way can aid recovery from illness, reduce and prevent stress, and help us to relax and stay calm. I wanted to cover here how being mindful in a ‘self-aware’ way can actually help us to appreciate our surroundings more and experience what’s...

Shoulders hunched, face drawn, sighing deeply. The client didn’t need to tell the coach how anxious he was about moving jobs and moving house, it was communicated by every fibre of his being. At first he had been excited, but now his thoughts and questions were spiralling out of control keeping him awake at night. Anticipation about stepping into a fun new adventure had quickly become anxiety and stress, prompted by imagined terrors lurking in his unknown future. A lot of people become...

The power of music and it’s influence on mood states, must not be ignored. Bob Marley once said “one good thing about music is that when it hits you, you feel no pain.” This appears to be a true statement when we listen to our favourite song or to a new song by our favourite artist for the first time. However, music can play a part in all mood states. Research suggests that listening to music can have a profound impact on our mood, whether it be an upbeat, happy song or a...